Feeler mechanism for looms.



A. E. RHOADES.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 23| IBIS.

Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

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A. E. RHOADES.

FEELER MECHANISIVI FOR .LOOM/IS.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.23.I9I6.1

Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

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ALONZO E. RHOADES, 0F HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO DRAPER CORPORATION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TION 0F MAINE.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Patented Apr. 1'?, 1917.

Application filed October 23, 1916. Serial No. 127,044.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALONZO E. RHOADES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hopedale,'county of Vorcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeler Mechanism for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

rhis invention relates to automatic filling replenishing looms and is particularly concerned with the mechanism forV detecting substantial exhaustion of filling in the running shuttle and to the means for operating the mechanism for initiating filling replenishment upon the detection of substantial exhaustion.

In this invention the detecting mechanism comprises a feeler having four main elements, first, a filling impinging member which acts upon the beat up of the lay to enter the shuttle and contact with the filling on the filling carrier and which presents a comparatively large and smooth contacting end which thus prevents any injury or damage to the filling no matter how line or delicate may be itsquality, second, a carrier member movable `relatively to and normally retracted with respect to the filling impinging member so that under normal conditions the end of the carrier does not Contact with the filling, third, a shuttle impinging member carried by the filling impinging member and so connected to the carrier member that the movement of either in one direction causes the other to move in the opposite direction, and the parts are so arranged that when the filling approaches exhaustion the shuttle impinging member coming into contact with the shuttle wall will project the carrier member toward the filling carrier, fourth, a penetrating member yieldingly projected vfrom and ,slidably mounted in the carrier member and having a comparatively sharp pointed end adapted to penetrate thel filling on the filling carrier and when the filling is substantially exhausted to come into contact with the filling carrier. When the carrier member is projected by the engagement of the shuttle impinging member with the shuttle due to deplenishment or substantial exhaustion of filling the penetrating member which is carried with it penetrates the remaining filling and when the filling is so far exhausted that the penetrating member `contacts with the lling carrier the penetrating member is retracted thereby relatively to the carrier, and this retracting movement is utilized `to initiate filling replenishment. There is thus Yprovided a feeler mechanism which during normal operation acts without injury to the filling and which upon deplenishment or substantial exhaustion of the filling detects with accuracy so that movement is given to the detecting mechanism to initiate filling replenishment only when a predetermined and definite amount of filling remains on the filling'carrier.

' In this invention the mechanism employed to transmit the detecting action to the means for initiating filling replenishment is of a flexible and continuous characterwhereby a very slight movement inthe detecting or feeling mechanism may be transmitted and utilized to initiate filling replenishment. Furthermore, this transmitting ,mechanism by reason of its fiexible character may be installed in the loom without interference with the other mechanisms of the loom without requiring special construction and in a cheap and efficient manner.

Furthermore, this transmitting mechanism is not liable to get out of order and does not lose in accuracy because of wear or lost motion.

The 4objects and nature of the'inventionl thus set forth and others will appear more fully from the accompanying description and drawings and will be particularlyfpointed out inthe claims.

The drawings illustrate so much of an ordinary type of automatic filling replenishing loom as is necessary to an understanding by those skilled in the art ofthe present invention together with apreferred formof mechanism embodying the present linventi'on applied thereto.

Figure y1 is a top plan view of a portion of an automatic filling replenishing loom atthedetecting end with a preferred form of mechanism embodying this invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the main parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation looking toward the right in Fig. l .of the feeler mechanism and its supporting bracket shown 1n Figs. l and 2;

. 8 is shown with the shuttle il boxed at the Fig. 1l is a side elevation of the rearward end of the arm secured to the usualV controller rock shaft for initiating filling ,re-

plenishment, with the upper end of the weft hammer, and with the coperating end of the transmitting mechanism shown chiefly ting the lay and showing the filling imping ing member' in contact with the filling; i Fig. 6 is a vieiv partially in transverse section of some of the parts shown in Fig. 5 with the filling carrier indicated diagrammatically and with the parts in position for indicating substantial exhaustion of filling. The general character and operation of automatic filling replenishing looms, of the means for replenishing the filling, of thc means for initiating filling replenishment, and of various mechanisms for feeling the filling on the carrier in the ruiming shuttle and indicating substantial exhaustion are so well known and'familiar to those skilled in the art that it will be unnecessary to describe in detail anything more than those parts directly concerned with the present invention. Y

Accordingly, in the drawings there has been illustrated but a small portion of an automatic filling replenishing loom. rhe breast beainl has extending parallel and in fronty the usual controller rock shaft 2 which when rocked acts to initiate filling replenishment in awell known manner. The lay detecting side of the loom.

rllhe feeler or detecting mechanism is a selffcontained structure bolted'or otherwiseV secured to the flange 5 extending laterally from the loom frame. rhis mechanism comprises Va vertical bracket 6 having a rearwardly projecting lower end 'T provided with a transverse bear-ing 8.

A vertical arm 9 is journaled at its lower end through the medium of the stub shaft or pin 10 in the bearing 8. Y

Ast its upper end which is extended horizontally to form a base or support 11 the army 9 carries the filling impinging member 2which is secured thereto by set screws 13. This filling Vimpinging member presents a smooth end herein shown in two parts 14 of comparatively large area. The end of the filling impinging member is located in line Y with the ax-is'of the lillmg carrier 15 in the VshuttleV and a suitable slot is provided in the shuttle binder 16 and in the wall ofthe shuttle 4, the slot 17 in the shuttle wall being show-nin Figz, so that when the lay beats yup the filling iinpinging member enters the shuttle' and contacts with the filling on the filling carrier. This occurs at each beat up that the shuttle is'at the detecting side of the loom, but by reason of the smooth Ylarge surfaces of the filling impinging member no harm is done to the lling no matter how i'ine and delicate it may be in quality.

A rod 18 is pivoted at 19 in a lug 20 projecting forwardly from the upper end of the arm 9. At its forward end this arm 18 rides in an aperture in an arm 21 projecting forwardly and upwardly from and bolted to the bracket 6 by the bolt 22. A helical spring 23 surrounds the rod 18, abuts a shoulder 211 on the rod 18 at one end and the arm 21 at the opposite end. A stop lug 25 projects rearwardly from the bracket G and extends in the rear of the arm 9. It will thus be seen that the spring 23 acts to hold the arm 9 and the'feeler parts supported by it in rearward position against the stop lug 25 and in the position shown in Fig. 3, while when upon the beat up the filling on the filling carrier comes into contact with the feeler the spring 23 will yield allowing the arm 9 to swing forwardly with the lay.

The carrier member or carrier 26 is shown' lower ends these levers extend through slots inV the filling impinging member and are slotted to engage pins 80 projecting laterally from the carrier 26. At their upper ends the levers 27 are connected by a bearing member 31 journaled at its ends 32 in the levers. This bearing member has threaded therethrough parallel with the carrier the shuttle impinging member 33. lock nut 34C on the threaded'shank of the shuttle impinging member 33 abuts against the bearing member 81. At its forward end theshuttle inipinging member is extended through an aperture in the lug 35 projecting upwardly from the arm Y9 and a helical spring 36 surrounds the shank and abuts at one end against a shoulder A37 thereon and at the other end against the lug S5. It will thus be seen that through the medium of the spring 36, the shuttle impinging member, and its connection with the carrier, that the carrier is normallyV retracted with respect to 'the filling inipinging member so that the Vpoint 39. A cross pin Orpassing through a slot 1in the plunger -SSis secured to the carrier 2G. VThis construction is so arranged as to allow the plungerto move forwardly yin the carrier and limit its rearward projection so that the penetrating point 39 extends just beyond the rearward face of the carrier. A helical spring 42 mounted in the bore of the carrier abuts the plunger 38 at one end and at the other end a hollow screw plug 43 threaded into the bore of the carrier. Thus the penetrating member is yieldingly projected from and slidably mounted in the carrier.

The operation of the detecting mechanism will now be apparent.

Under normal conditions the parts will occupy the position shown in Fig. 5 and as the lay beats up the mass of filling on the filling carrier will come into contact with the smooth large ends of the filling impinging member and carry the arm 9 backwardly against the spring 23. As the filling is gradually unwound from the filling carrier and the point is reached where but a small amount of filling remains uponthe filling carrier the shuttle impinging member 33 will come intoycontact with the wall of the shuttle. The point at which this shall occur is determined with great accuracy by the adjustment of the shuttle impinging member 33 in the threaded bearing member 31. Up to this time the carrier 26 has remained retracted with respect to the filling impinging member by reason of the action of the spring 36 so that the penetrating point 39 has not come in contact with the filling and there has beenjtherefore no tendency to mar, injure, damage or cut the filling. Vhen, h owever7 the shuttle impinging member 33 comes into contact with the wall of the shuttle the carrieris projected rearwardly and the penetrating point 39 penetrates the filling. When upon the recurrence of this operation the remaining filling has reached a predetermined stage of exhaustion the penetrating point will come into contact with thesurface of the filling carrier itself and will be retracted thereby against the action of the spring 42. This movement of the penetrating member is the one which is utilized to effect initiation of filling replenishment.

Necessarily the movement given to the penetrating member is slight and this slight movement must be immediately and effectively transmitted to the filling replenishing mechanism. This result is secured by the present invention.

In the construction illustrated the controller rock shaft 2 operates the arm 44 extending upwardly and rearwardly over the breast beam. This arm carries at its rearward end and projecting rearwardly a dog 45 pivoted transversely of the arm at 46. A bunter herein shown as the usual weft hammer 47 swings Jforwardly and rearwardly beneath the dog 45, the rear end of which is maintained elevated just above the path of the bunter by a helical Spring 48 mounted in the socket 49 and abutting the forward end of the dog.

A flexible sheath herein shown as a wire helix 50 is secured at one end in the bore ofthe screw plug 43v and at its opposite end in a split plug 5l clamped by a set screw 52 in a .vertical aperture in a bracket 53 bolted at 54 to the rear face of the breast beam so that the end of the sheath is directly beneath the forward end of the dog 45. A flexible core herein shown as a wire 55 extends through the helix. At one end it abuts a pin 56 forming a continuation of the plunger 38 and at the other end it is provided with ahead or plunger 57 in contact with the forward end of the dog 45.

The sheath and the core present a flexible connection comprising two relatively and longitudinally movable substantially conterminous juxtaposed parts one of which acts to support the other and it will be apparent that the function may be secured without the particular construction illustrated being employed for these parts.

. This flexible connection insures'the slight movement of the penetrating member being transmitted positively and accurately to the dog 45 so that when the penetrating member is retracted upon the occurence of filling exhaustion to the required degree the dog 45 is swung about its pivot to bring its rearward end into the path of the bunter 47, and immediately the shaft 2 is rocked to initiate the action of the filling replenishing mech-l anism.

I-Iaving fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure vby Letters Patent is:

1. In an auto-matic filling replenishing loom the combination of a shuttle containing a filling carrier; a filling impinging member acting upon the beat up to enter the shuttle and contact with the fillingon the filling carrier; a carrier movable relatively to, and normally retracted with respect to, said filling impinging member; a shuttle impinging member carried by said filling impinging member and connected to said carrier to move reversely therewith; and a penetrating member yieldingly projected from, and slidably mounted in, said carrier and adapted7 when the carrier is projected by the engagement of the shuttle impinging member with the shuttle due to deplenishment of filling, to penetrate the remaining filling and, upon contact with the filling carrier, to be retracted thereby relatively to the carrier.

2. In' an automatic filling replenishing loom the combination of a shuttle containing a filling carrier; a filling impinging member acting upon the beatV up to enter the shuttle and contact with vthe filling on the filling carrier; a carrier movable rela tively to, and normally retracted withV respect to, said filling inipinging member; a shuttle impinging member carried by said filling impinging member and connected to said carrier to move reversely therewith; a penetrating member yieldingly projected from, and slidably mounted in, said carrier 'and adapted, when the carrier is projected' by the engagement ot the shuttle impinging member with the shuttle due to deplenishment of filling; to penetrate the remaining filling and, VuponY contact with the iilling carrier; to be retracted thereby relatively to the carrier; and means operated by said retraction of said penetrating member to initiate filling replenishment.

3. In an automatic lling replenishing loom, the combination of a shuttle containing a lilling carrier; a filling impinging member acting upon the beat up to enter the shuttle and contact with the filling on the filling carrier; a carrier movable relatively to, and normally retracted with respect to, said filling impinging member; a shuttle iinpinging membercarried by said filling impinging member and connected to said carrier to move reversely therewith; a penetrating member yieldingly projected from, and slidably mounted in7 said carrier Yand adapted; when the carrier is projected by the engagement of the shuttle impinging member with the shuttle due to deplenisliment of filling, to penetrate the remaining` filling and, upon contact with the filling carrier7 to be retracted thereby relatively to the carrier; means for initiating the operation of filling repleiiisliing means; and al flexible connector extending between saidY penetrating member and said initiating means and comprising two relatively and longitudinally movable substantially conterminous juxtaposed parts one of which acts to support the other, the penetrating member when retracted acting to give relative longitudinal movement to said connector parts and theresaid initiating means.

4. An automatic comprising means for initiating the operation of filling replenishing mechanism; a

filling replenishing loom 5. An automatic filling replenisliing loom l comprising means for initiating the operation of filling replenishing mechanism; a member moved upon the deplenishment of filling to a predetermined extent in the running shuttle; a flexible sheath having its ends secured against longitudinal movement, one adjacent the said member and the other adjacent the said initiating means; a flexible core located in and longitudinally movable with respect to said sheath; and means operated by the movement of the said member to transmit longitudinal movement to said core and therefrom to said initiating means to initiate the operation oi the filling replenishing mechanism.

6. An automatic filling replenishing loom comprising a self-contained feeler detecting mechanism, a bracket for supporting the saine, means for securing the bracket to the loom frame, means for initiating the operation of filling replenishing mechanism, and a flexible connector extending between said initiating means and said detecting means and comprising two relatively and longitudinally movable substantially conterminous ALONZO E. RHOADES.

lCopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, b'y addressing the"C/ommissioner of `iatents, Washington, D. C. 

